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The Hindu
The Hindu
National
Staff Reporter

Forest Dept. uses elephants for tracing leopards in Koppal

Elephants from Sakrebail Elephant Camp in Shivamogga district were engaged in combing operations looking for leopards at Virupapura Gaddi Islet in Koppal district on Sunday. (Source: SRIDHAR KAVALI)

After trying multiple means to trace leopards and check their menace, the Forest Department officials have decided to give it another try with elephants.

Two days after a man who was away for cattle grazing at Virupapura Gaddi Islet in Gangavathi taluk was killed by a leopard, the Forest Department officials have brought two elephants — a male and a female — from Sakrebail Elephant Camp in Shivamogga district and carried out a combing operations for leopards on Sunday.

As per information provided by the officials, elephants have a better sense of smell and could grasp the presence of leopards even two kilometres away.

Just as the leopards are spotted by the elephants, sharpshooters on elephants would shoot at and tranquillise the predators.

The unconscious leopards would then be shifted to a zoological park, they said.

There was, however, no breakthrough during Sunday’s combing operations. The officials said that the operations would continue on Monday around Anegundi.

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